'Metal on metal' happens when the brake pads are used up completely, and the metal part starts rubbing against the metal disc. This can damage the brakes and make it harder to stop the car.
Brake rotors are round metal discs that help stop the car when the brakes are applied. They can get worn out and sometimes need to be replaced with the brake pads.
Brake pads are the parts that press against the wheels to help stop the car. They wear down over time and need to be changed to keep the brakes working well.
Pad material is what the brake pads are made of. Some materials grip better but can wear out quickly, while others last longer but may not stop as effectively.
A brake pad wear sensor helps you know when your brake pads are getting too thin and need to be changed. It sends a warning to your car's dashboard when the pads are worn down enough.
The ABS system helps your car stop safely by preventing the wheels from locking up when you brake hard. This means you can still steer while stopping, which is important in emergencies.
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Hi, it's Mark. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Vancouver's best auto service experience. How are you doing this morning, Bernie?
Doing very well. So today's guest is a 2023 Range Rover. What was going on with this guest?
Yeah. So this vehicle had a brake pad warning light on on the dash. So we did a brake inspection.
There were no noises accompanying it and the brakes performed well, but there was a brake pad
warning light. So we did a brake inspection, found the front brakes were in very good shape,
but the rears were worn out. Not metal on metal yet, fortunately, but there was
less than a millimeter of rear brake pad left. So 2023, what kilometer did this vehicle have?
It's like just over 20,000 k, almost very minimal usage.
So that's unusual for brakes to wear out in 20,000 kilometers. Is that right?
Pretty much, but you know, largely these European SUVs tend to go through brakes at quite a fast
rate. I find this one a little quick, but nonetheless, that's what we have. So there's the vehicle,
nice looking seventh cedar, you know, nice full size Range Rover. This is a view of our rear brakes.
So here, this is after repair. Yeah. So this is brake material. We can see here,
there's literally almost nothing left. There's almost nothing. Yeah. Had the owner driven another
week, there probably would have been like metal on metal. And normally when we do brakes, we always
change the rotors and pads. The rotors are worn. In this case, the rotors had such a minimal amount
of wear on them. And the mileage was so low, we figured, you know what, let's just put pads in,
because they're probably only going to last again, another 20,000. By the time it hits 40,
the front brakes are probably going to be, you know, nearly worn out. Who knows how the front
brakes will be, but the rears will definitely need to be done again. And in that point, we can
evaluate it, but the rotors were in like, you know, practically new conditions. So no rust,
no grooves. So we basically just put a set of pads in, service the rear brakes and put a set of pads
in. So this is like you said, all shiny, like the record here, this disc. Are these pretty large?
I understand they're pretty robust. They're huge. This must be like 14 inches in diameter or something.
It's very large. And, you know, I keep scratching my head going, why do these wear out so fast?
Obviously the pad material must be very soft, because it's not even grooving the rotor. So,
you know, there's a reason they use soft pads, they grip better, less noise issues. But, you know,
to wear out this fast is kind of crazy. There's another view in there. Yeah, you're moving your
pointer in exactly the right spot. Any space there of pad material. That's a backing plate
that's metal. Yeah, exactly. And I don't have pictures of it, but there's a brake pad wear
sensor. It actually fits that little slot. If you look in the middle of the right hand brake,
part of the brake pad right in there, there's a sensor on the right side. This is a left side
brake. There's a sensor on that brake pad. And so when it hits a certain point, it puts the warning
on the dash. So, you can just see the thickness. It's amazing. But anyways, the interesting thing
about this vehicle is that the brake system, when you stop and you let your foot off the gas,
it doesn't roll until you tap the gas pedal and you can feel the brakes on the lock. So,
that might contribute to the brakes wearing a little faster than usual.
Sort of like a handle lock or something. Always on. Yeah, it probably works to the ABS system.
And it's a nice little added safety feature. So, I mean, normally it was not automatic,
you never roll backwards, but you could. And so, I think it just helps that way. But
possibly cause the brakes to wear a little quicker.
There you go. If you're looking for service for your Range Rover,
the experts to see are at Pawlik Automotive. You can reach them online at pawlikautomotive.com.
You can book your appointment right there. You can call them at 604-327-7112 to book your
appointment as well. You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver,
BC, Canada. Thanks so much for watching and listening. Thanks, Bernie.
Thank you, Mark. Thanks for watching.
About this episode
A 2023 Range Rover presented with a brake pad warning light despite having only 20,000 kilometers on the odometer. After inspection, it was found that the rear brake pads were nearly worn out, while the front brakes were in good condition. The discussion highlights the unusual rapid wear of the rear pads, attributed to the vehicle's braking system design, which may contribute to quicker wear. The episode also covers the decision to replace only the pads rather than the rotors, as they were still in excellent condition.
